Our Universe   

A total solar eclipse is the most spectacular natural event you can ever witness. The Moon glides slowly in front of the Sun and at just the right moment, in just the right place, the Moon completely covers the Sun. The sky turns eerie shades of silver-purple, the birds grow quiet and the crickets start chirping. You look up and the Sun is gone and is replaced by a black hole with wispy streamers of the solar atmosphere peeking around the edges. It literally takes your breath away.

There are two solar eclipses coming to the United States: October 14, 2023 is an annular solar eclipse and April 8, 2024 there will be a total solar eclipse. And astronomers have chased these rare and elusive events around the globe. Learn the history of eclipse chasing and how you can safely observe the next eclipses. The instructor will be attending the class remotely.

Astronomer Dean Regas has seen 21 lunar eclipses and a dozen solar eclipses. In this class that combines science, history, and travel Dean shares his adventures trekking around the world in search of solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, transits, auroras, and other astronomical events.

This course will review our place in the universe, starting with the constellations and the wonders they offer. We'll learn about galaxies, nebulas, star clusters and other deep-sky objects. We'll track the earth's orbital motion, the cause of season changes, the motions of our moon's lunar phases and the cause of solar and lunar eclipses. Great course for beginners!

Want to know the name of that star? How do I find constellations like Scorpius, Ursa Major, and Leo? When can I see the planets? Astronomer Dean Regas can guide you through the night sky. Dean has written six astronomy books including 100 Things to See in the Night Sky and will show you the basic tips and tricks to identifying stars, constellations, planets, and more in the night sky. You'll soon be on your way to finding 100 Things in the Night Sky. No telescope needed. Dean will be presenting remotely.

In this course using the teaching company videos "The Big Bang and Beyond" and "Examining the Big Questions of Time," we will explore the evolution of the universe from the "creation event" to the distant future. We will be learning about cosmic inflation, the possible existence of a multiverse, extra dimension of space and the potentially inconstant, constants of nature. In the second half of the course, we will take a deep dive into the nature of time addressing such questions as, is time an illusion, in what sense does the past and future exist, will time end, did time start at the big bang and is time travel into the future or past possible, based on our current understanding of the laws of physics. 

Have you ever wondered how NASA's robotic missions are formed? JPL spoke to one of NASA's robotics engineers about project formulation and looked at the process of generating ideas - from napkin sketch to prototype to development and testing. Using real-life experiences from the Mars rovers and Mars Sample Return missions, they also explored how they determine the right questions to ask to understand what technologies are needed to get the job done. We'll watch the recording of this presentation and take time to discuss.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is exploring the universe from its perch 1 million miles from Earth. What has it seen so far? And what will it discover? But let's not forget the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). It has been one of the most prolific scientific instruments ever created. Since it saw first light in 1990, it has seen it all. In this beginner class, Astronomer Dean Regas takes you on a journey to explore the most incredible images of the universe. We'll explore planets, stars, nebulas, and galaxies in never-before-seen clarity.